Screw-propeller



(No Model.)

' S. G. HINDES. soRBw PROPELLER.

`PaAzented Aug. 14, 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

srETsoN e; HINDEs, oF SAN FRANCISCO, oALIFoENIA.

SCREW-PROPELLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 524,500, dated August14, 1894.

Application filed December 20,189.3. Serial No. 494,157. (No model.) l

T0 a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STE'rsoN G. I-IINDEs, a

citizen of the United States, residing in the will while the screw andshaft are revolvingV in the same direction, and especially to boats orvessels impelled by gas engines which are difficult to reverse; also tofacilitate the starting of such engines by setting the bladestransversely so they will offer a minimum resistance.

My improvements consist in providing the vanes with cylindrical parallelstems, of such depth or length and so fitted that the vanes will have aiirm and sufcient support in the nave or hub of the propeller to resistlateral or canting strain, and avoid undue friction thereby; also inserrating or forming gear teeth on the stems of the vanes, whereby theymay be `turned with a toothed rack, without reducing practically thebearing area of the stems, and in providing these stems with an annularchannel or groove in the middle or neutral axis of the bearing, wherebythey are held in place when mounted, and providing ready means for theremoval of the vanes.

My invention also includes mechanism for turning or setting thepropeller vanes from the interior of a boator vessel, and in variousconstructive details set forth in the drawing herewith, in which- Figurelis an end view of a propeller made` according to my invention, with theouter section or cap of the nave or hub removed. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section through the same propeller, stern tube and packingglands. Fig. 3 is a plan View of a complete propeller taken normal toone of the vanes, the other vanes being omitted. Figs. 4 and 5 are sideand end views of the removable outer section or cap of the nave or hub,detached.

Similar letters of reference are employed to denote like parts in thedifferent figures of the drawings.

The propeller shaft A extends through a nave or hub B, composed of twosections, one having sockets transversely, to receive the vanes C, andis fastened to the shaft A by the key a a, as shown in Fig. 2,its rearor inward extension forming a chamber D, to contain mechanism to behereinafter described. rIlhe other removable section, E, is separated onthe line e, and is held by the key o. a, and a screw-nut F on the outerend of the shaft A.

The vanes C have parallel cylindrical stems G, fitting intocorresponding sockets H in the hub B, and extending inward almost to theshaft A, so as to secure ample lateral bearing. Around these stems G areformed channels or grooves L, into which t the concave ledges or lugs I,on the detachable section E of the nave or hub, as shown in Figs. 2, 4,and 5. These lugs hold the vanes C in the sockets H against centrifugalforce, or other outward strain, and permit their easy removal when thesection or cap E is taken oi.

To reverse the vanes C, or to adjust their pitch, teeth .I are formedpartially around the Y inner ends of the stems G, constituting a toothedsector, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, but not in such form asto remove or cut away the surface so as to impair the bearingarea, whichis practically complete over the Whole inner surface of the socket H,except as to the grooves L. These being central or neutral in thebearing area, cause no loss of stability. Meshing into these toothedsectors J, are toothed racks K, that slide in rectangular seats M,formed in the sections B and E of the nave or hub, but not through thesection E, the outer end of these seats being closed to prevent theentrance of sand or grit. These toothed racks K extend back into thechamber D, and are there attached by screwed or riveted Shanks in afollower plate N, that is moved forward or back in the chamber D, bymeans of a sheath or tube O, that surrounds the shaft A and is attachedat its outer end to the follower plate N, and its inner end` IOO O isalso packed around the shaft A by aseoond gland S, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the groove T of the collar P is applied ay crotch-lever in the usualmanner, so this sleeve or tube O can be moved outward or inward, thusmoving the follower plate N and racks K, turning uniformly the blades O,so as to re verse their action or change their pitch from the inside ofthe vessel while the propeller is in motion,and the shaft is movingcontinually in the same direction. This chamber D protects the racks Kand follower plate N from injury, and is further made secure by means ofa ixed shroud or cover V, fastened to the stern post U, and over-lappingthe chamber D, as shown in Fig. 2. .The follower.

N and racks K can be operated by means of a rod passing through the axisof the shaft A and cotters engaging the follower N and the collar I. Ihave here shown the method believed to be preferable for small vesselsand boats.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

I. In a propeller, the combination of the propeller-shaft, thetransverse bi-sectional hubor nave thereon,one of whosesectionsisprovided with a series of radial cylindrical sockets and the other witha series of lugs vanes or blades whose cylindrical stems enter saidsockets and are provided with grooves which are engaged by the aforesaidlugs and also with toothed segments, together with movable rack barswhich mesh with said segments, substantially as described.

2. In a propeller, the combination of the propeller-shaft, the hubthereon, consisting of a main section having a series of radialcylindrical sockets therein, and a detachable section having a series ofconcave tangential lugs that laterally enter said sockets, and a seriesof vanes or blades having cylindrical 4stems entering said sockets, saidstems having. annular grooves that are engaged by the aforesaid lugs andhaving also at theirinner ends toothed segments, and the endwise movableracks which engage said segments, substantially as described. Y

3. In va propeller, the combination of the propeller-shaft, the hubthereon, consisting of vare engaged by the aforesaid lugs, and havingalso at their inner ends toothed segments, the endwise movable rackswhich engage said segments and slide in rectangular seats formed in thehub, and the follower-plate to which said racks are connected,substantially as described.

4:. In' a propeller, the combination of the propeller shaft, the hubthereon, consisting of a main section having a series of cylindricalsockets therein and a detachable section having a series of concave lugsthat enter said sockets, a series of blades having cylindrical stemsentering said sockets, said stems having annular grooves that areengaged by Athe aforesaid lugs and having also at their l inner ends aseries of teeth, the endwise movi able racks located in rectangularseats in the hub and engaging said teeth, the followerlplate to whichthe racks are attached, the jsheath or tube surrounding the propellerfshaft and attached to the. follower-plate, and 'operating mechanism formoving saidy tube, -substantially asdescribed.

that laterally enter said sockets, a series of f' 5. In a propeller,'thecombination of the propeller-shaft, the hub thereonconsisting of j amain section having a series'of cylindrical 3 sockets therein, and adetachable section havling a series of lugs entering said socketslaterally, a series of blades having cylindrical stems located in saidsockets, said stems having annular grooves that are engaged by the lugsand having also toothed sectors, a longitudinal adjustable tube orsleeve surrounding the propeller-shaft and connected to the racks whichmesh with the 'sectors and an adjustable collar inside the steering tubeof the vessel, to which the adjustable tube is likewise connected,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof ,I have hereuntoaffixed my signature in thepresence of two witnesses. y

STETSON G. HINDES. Witnesses:

ALFRED A. ENoUIs'r, WILsoN D. BENT, J r.

